Hidden St Albans jewel to be restored

An 1860s Christchurch heritage building used as a commune since the 1970s will be restored and opened to the public for the first time.

Richard Mahoney and Kristina Pickford

SAVED: The 1862 brick house, known as Chippenham Lodge, was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes.

The commune, tucked behind homes in a St Albans street, is the birthplace of Greenpeace in New Zealand and the Christchurch Women's Refuge.An 1860s Christchurch heritage building used as a commune since the 1970s will be restored and opened to the public for the first time.

At its peak in the 1970s, about 20 people lived in the building, including former Labour Cabinet minister Marian Hobbs.

The 1862 brick house, known as Chippenham Lodge, was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes.

The society that owns the building hopes to raise about $150,000 for repair and restoration.

The Canterbury Earthquake Heritage Buildings Fund is supporting the fundraising effort. The fund, which has granted about $10 million to help restore historic buildings, has put the lodge on its list of 11 Canterbury buildings that need to be saved.